Cabinet system and method of assembling the same

Abstract

A front panel, a pair of side panels, a top panel, and a bottom panel connect to form a cabinet. Optionally, the cabinet includes a rear panel. The front panel includes a pair of master keyways. Each of side panels has a groove and a pair of side keyways. Each groove provides the side panel with an edge profile that connects with one master keyway to couple the side panels with the front panel. Each of top and bottom panels includes a pair of grooves. Each groove provides top and bottom panels with an edge profile that connects with one side keyway to couple the top and bottom panels with the side panels. Optionally, one of the top or bottom panels includes an extender and the front panel includes a groove wherein the extender is received within the groove to limit movement of the side panels.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A cabinet system comprising:
 a front panel having a front face and a back face, a pair of master keyways extending in parallel along opposite sides of the back face of the front panel, each of the master keyways extending from one edge of the front panel to an opposite edge of the front panel, each master keyway having an L shaped cross section recessed in the back face, the L shaped cross section having five ordered adjacently connected surfaces wherein a first surface is perpendicular to the back face and to a second surface, the second surface is parallel to the back face and perpendicular to a third surface, the third surface is perpendicular to a fourth surface and parallel to the first surface, the fourth surface is parallel to the back face and perpendicular to a fifth surface, the fifth surface is perpendicular to the back face; 
 a pair of side panels, each of the side panels having an interior face and an exterior face, each of the side panels having an upper side keyway and a lower side keyway extending in parallel along upper and lower portions, respectively, of the interior face of the side panel, each side keyway having an L shaped cross section recessed in the interior face, the L shaped cross section having five ordered adjacently connected surfaces wherein a first surface is perpendicular to the interior face and to a second surface, the second surface is parallel to the interior face and perpendicular to a third surface, the third surface is perpendicular to a fourth surface and parallel to the first surface, the fourth surface is parallel to the interior face and perpendicular to the fifth surface, the fifth surface is perpendicular to the interior face, each of said side panels further including a groove providing the side panel with an edge having an L shaped cross section, the L shaped edge of one of the side panels being received within one of the master keyways in the front panel and coupling the side panel with the front panel, the L shaped edge of the other of the side panels being received within the other of the master keyways in the front panel and coupling the other of the side panels with the front panel; 
 a top panel having a pair of grooves extending adjacent opposed edges of the top panel and providing the top panel with the opposed edges having L shaped cross sections sized to be slidingly received in one of the upper side keyways, one of the L shaped edges of the top panel being received within the upper side keyway of one of the side panels and coupling the top panel with the side panel, the other of the L shaped edges of the top panel being received within the upper side keyway of the other of the side panels and coupling the top panel with the other of the side panels; and 
 a bottom panel having a pair of grooves extending adjacent opposed edges of the bottom panel and providing the bottom panel with the opposed edges having L shaped cross sections sized to be slidingly received in one of the lower side keyways, one of the L shaped edges of the bottom panel being received within the lower side keyway of one of the side panels and coupling the bottom panel with the side panel, the other of the L shaped edges of the bottom panel being received within the lower side keyway of the other of the side panels and coupling the bottom panel with the other of the side panels, the side panels being oriented perpendicular to the front panel, and the top and bottom panels being oriented perpendicular to both the front panel and each of the side panels. 
 
     
     
       2. The cabinet system of  claim 1  in which the front panel includes a groove extending along the back face of the front panel in a direction perpendicular to and between the master keyways, one of the top and bottom panels including an extender received within the groove in the back face of the front panel. 
     
     
       3. The cabinet system of  claim 2  in which the front panel further includes a second groove extending along the back face of the front panel in a direction perpendicular to and between the master keyways, each of the top and bottom panels including an extender being received within a respective groove in the back face of the front panel. 
     
     
       4. The cabinet system of  claim 1  in which the top and bottom panels are identical. 
     
     
       5. The cabinet system of  claim 4  in which the two side panels are identical. 
     
     
       6. The cabinet system of  claim 1  wherein the grooves of all of the pair of side panels, the top panel, and the bottom panel are the same cross-sectional size and shape. 
     
     
       7. The cabinet system of  claim 6  wherein the grooves of all of the pair of side panels, the top panel, and the bottom panel have a U-shape. 
     
     
       8. The cabinet system of  claim 1  further comprising:
 wherein each of the side panels has a side notch extending along a side portion, the side notch having four ordered adjacently connected surfaces wherein a first surface is perpendicular to the interior face and to a second surface, the second surface is parallel to the interior face and perpendicular to a third surface, the third surface is perpendicular to a fourth surface, and the fourth surface extends to an opposite edge of the side panel; and 
 a rear panel having a first side portion and a second side portion, the rear panel having a pair of back grooves extending in parallel along the first and second side portions, each of the back grooves providing the rear panel with an edge having an L shaped cross section, one of the L shaped edges of the rear panel being received within the side notch of one of the side panels and the other of the L shaped edges of the rear panel being received within the side notch of the other of the side panels and contacting the rear panel with the pair of side panels. 
 
     
     
       9. The cabinet system of  claim 8 , wherein the rear panel has a pair of slots extending in parallel along upper and lower portions, one of the slots sized to receive a portion of the top panel to contact the rear panel with the top panel, the other of the slots sized to receive a portion of the bottom panel to contact the rear panel with the bottom panel. 
     
     
       10. The cabinet system of  claim 1  in which the two side panels are identical. 
     
     
       11. The cabinet system of  claim 1 , wherein the pair of master keyways, the upper side keyway, and the lower side keyway are the same cross-sectional size. 
     
     
       12. A method of forming a cabinet comprising:
 providing a front panel having a front face and a back face, a pair of master keyways extending in parallel along opposite sides of the back face of the front panel, each of the master keyways extending from one edge of the front panel to an opposite edge of the front panel, each master keyway having an L shaped cross section recessed in the back face, the L shaped cross section having five ordered adjacently connected surfaces wherein a first surface is perpendicular to the back face and to a second surface, the second surface is parallel to the back face and perpendicular to a third surface, the third surface is perpendicular to a fourth surface and parallel to the first surface, the fourth surface is parallel to the back face and perpendicular to a fifth surface, the fifth surface is perpendicular to the back face; 
 providing a first side panel having an interior face and an exterior face, the first side panel having an upper side keyway and a lower side keyway extending in parallel along upper and lower portions, respectively, of the interior face of the first side panel, the upper and lower side keyways having an L shaped cross section, the L shaped cross section having five ordered adjacently connected surfaces wherein a first surface is perpendicular to the interior face and to a second surface, the second surface is parallel to the interior face and perpendicular to a third surface, the third surface is perpendicular to a fourth surface and parallel to the first surface, the fourth surface is parallel to the interior face and perpendicular to a fifth surface, the fifth surface is perpendicular to the interior face, the first side panel further including a groove providing the first side panel with an edge having an L shaped cross section recessed in the interior face; 
 sliding the L shaped edge of the first side panel into one of the master keyways of the front panel to couple the first side panel with the front panel in an orientation perpendicular to the front panel; 
 providing a second side panel having an interior face and an exterior face, the second side panel having an upper side keyway and a lower side keyway extending in parallel along upper and lower portions, respectively, of the interior face of the second side panel, the upper and lower side keyways having an L shaped cross section, the L shaped cross section having five ordered adjacently connected surfaces wherein a first surface is perpendicular to the interior face and to a second surface, the second surface is parallel to the interior face and perpendicular to a third surface, the third surface is perpendicular to a fourth surface and parallel to the first surface, the fourth surface is parallel to the interior face and perpendicular to a fifth surface, the fifth surface is perpendicular to the interior face, the second side panel further including a groove providing the second side panel with an edge having an L shaped cross section recessed in the interior face; 
 sliding the L shaped edge of the second side panel into the other of the master keyways of the front panel to couple the second side panel with the front panel in an orientation perpendicular to the front panel, wherein the first and second side panels are coupled to the front panel; 
 providing a top panel having a pair of grooves extending adjacent opposed edges of the top panel and providing the top panel with the opposed edges having L shaped cross sections; 
 sliding the L shaped edges of the top panel into the upper side keyways of the first and second side panels to couple the top panel with the first and second side panels in an orientation perpendicular to the side panels; 
 providing a bottom panel having a pair of grooves extending adjacent opposed edges of the bottom panel and providing the bottom panel with the opposed edges having L shaped cross sections; and 
 sliding the L shaped edges of the bottom panel into the lower side keyways of the first and second side panels to connect the bottom panel with the first and second side panels in an orientation perpendicular to the side panels and the top panel. 
 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 12  in which the top and bottom panels are identical. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 13  in which the two side panels are identical. 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 wherein the first side panel has a side notch extending along a side portion and the second side panel has a side notch extending along a side portion, each of the side notches having four ordered adjacently connected surfaces wherein a first surface is perpendicular to the interior face and to a second surface, the second surface is parallel to the interior face and perpendicular to a third surface, the third surface is perpendicular to a fourth surface, and the fourth surface extends to an opposite edge of the side panel; 
 providing a rear panel having a first side portion and a second side portion, the rear panel having a pair of back grooves extending in parallel along the first and second side portions, each of the back grooves providing the rear panel with an edge having an L shaped cross section; and 
 inserting one of the L shaped edges of the rear panel into the side notch of the first side panel and inserting the other of the L shaped edges of the rear panel into the side notch of the second side panel to contact the rear panel with the first and second side panels. 
 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 15  further comprising:
 wherein the rear panel has a pair of slots extending in parallel along upper and lower portions; 
 inserting a portion of the top panel into one of the slots to contact the rear panel with the top panel; and 
 inserting a portion of the bottom panel into the other of the slots to contact the rear panel with the bottom panel. 
 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 12  in which the front panel includes a groove extending along the back of the front panel in a direction perpendicular to and between the master keyways, one of the top and bottom panels including an extender configured to be received within the groove in the front panel, said method including sliding the one of the top and bottom panels into the side panels to position the extender within the groove in the back of the front panel to prevent movement of the pair of side panels relative to the front panel. 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 12  in which the front panel includes first and second grooves extending in parallel along the back of the front panel in a direction perpendicular to and between the master keyways, each of the top and bottom panels including an extender, said method including sliding each of the top and bottom panels into the side panels to position the extenders within respective grooves in the back of the front panel to prevent movement of the pair of side panels relative to the front panel. 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 12  in which the two side panels are identical. 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 12  wherein the grooves of all of the pair of side panels, the top panel, and the bottom panel are the same cross-sectional size and shape. 
     
     
       21. The method of  claim 12  wherein the pair of master keyways, the upper side keyway, and the lower side keyway are the same cross-sectional size.